These [people] may cut their hair during [Chol] HaMoed: One who arrived from abroad; [was released] from captivity; left prison; or the excommunicate whose ban was lifted by the sages. Similarly, one who applied to a sage and had been released [from his vow]; the nazir or the metzora who returns from [a state of] contamination to [a state of] purity.

And these [people] may launder [their clothing] during [Chol] HaMoed: One who arrived from abroad; [was released] from captivity; left prison; or the excommunicate whose ban was lifted by sages. Similarly, one who applied to a sage and was released [from his vow].  Hand towels, barbers' cloths, and bath towels [may also be laundered].  Zavim, zavos, menstruants, women who have given birth, and all who return from [a state of] contamination to [a state of] purity, these are permitted [to launder their clothing], but all others are forbidden.

And these [documents] may be written during [Chol] HaMoed: Instruments of betrothal, divorces, receipts, testaments, gifts, prozbulin, evaluation documents, support documents, chalitzah certificates, refusals, selection contracts, court edicts, and government documents.

We may not write loan contracts during [Chol] HaMoed. However, if he does not trust him, or if he has nothing to eat, then he may write.  We may not write Books [of Scripture], nor tefillin, nor mezuzos during [Chol] HaMoed. We may not correct a single letter even in the [Torah] scroll of the Temple court. R' Yehudah says: A person may write tefillin or mezuzos for his personal use; and he may spin the blue thread for his tzitzis, on his thigh.

He who buries his dead [relative] three days before a festival has the edict of seven [days of mourning] annulled. [He who buries his dead relative] eight [days before a festival] has the edict of thirty [days of mourning] annulled. [This is so] because they said: Sabbath is included [in the period of mourning] but does not interrupt [it]. Festivals [however] interrupt but are not included.

R' Eliezer says: From the time the Temple was destroyed Shavuos is like the Sabbath.  Rabban Gamliel says: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like the festivals.  The Sages, however, do not agree with either of the two. Rather, Shavuos is like the festivals; Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like the Sabbath.

Garments may not be rent, shoulders may not be bared, and the mourner's meal may not be served, except by relatives of the deceased. The mourner's meal is only served on a set-up bed.  We may not bring [food] to the house of mourning neither on a tray, nor on a salver, nor in a decorative basket, but only in [plain] baskets.  We do not say the mourner's blessing during [Chol] HaMoed, but we stand in rows and offer consolation. They then dismiss the public.

We do not set down the bier in the street, so as not to encourage eulogies. [The biers] of women are never [set down], out of respect.  Women may sing dirges during [Chol] HaMoed, but may not clap. R' Yishmael says: Those near the bier may clap.

On Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, and Purim, [they] may sing dirges and clap on any of these days, but they may not engage in [responsive] wailing.  Once the deceased is buried, they may neither sing dirges, nor clap.  What is meant by dirges? That all lament in unison. [And what is meant by] wailing? That one speaks and all others respond after her; as the verse states: And teach your daughters a lament and each woman [shall teach] her neighbor a wailing.  However, as regards the future, the verse states: He will destroy death forever, and my Lord, Hashem/Elohim, will wipe tears from upon every face [He will remove the shame of His people from the entire earth —- for Hashem has spoken].